Online Program

Oral

Schools have become a focal point for efforts to influence the nutrition knowledge and eating behaviors of children. This session will include a review of the research on the impact of Behavioral Economics and Smarter Lunchroom techniques on children’s food choices. The panel will also discuss whether local wellness policies are becoming stronger over time and include a comparison of administrator perceptions of school policies versus actual school practices. The panel will also discuss the impact of the Community Eligibility Provision on school meal program participation as well as student food consumption through the National School Lunch Program.

Session Objectives: Describe "Smarter Lunchrooms" methods used to increase the selection and consumption of healthful food items. Explain how differences in placement of salad bars in school cafeterias results in differences in fruit and vegetable consumption by school children. Identify school wellness policies that may not be fully implemented or enforced and discuss challenges to effectively implementing local school wellness policies in the cafeteria. Describe Community Eligibility and identify its impact on student participation in school meal programs.